[Buddha-l] The Proper Scope of Buddhology

[Richard Hayes]

On Jul 2, 2010, at 12:04 PM, Franz Metcalf wrote:

> Richard rather categorically asserted
> 
>> There is exactly one legitimate thing for scholars of Buddhism
>> to study: texts. We can only go where our texts go. We can
>> report what our texts say, no more. Buddhist texts are silent
>> on near-death experiences, so as scholars of Buddhism we
>> would be irresponsible to speculate on what Buddhists might
>> have to say about such things.
> 
> I am impressed with the audacity of this claim, but I have to say I  
> think it's nonsense.

Thank God somebody got the joke. I was afraid for a minute people would think I was being serious instead of trying to make my colleagues grin.

Richard